Name resolution server and packet transfer device

• US 7,840,699 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iwata, Atsushi, Ishikawa, Yuichi, Fujita, Norihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US10/785,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,463 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/240, 709/242, 370/231
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The DNS server according to the present invention includes a user information identification unit which identifies an attribute of a user who has transmitted a DNS query message through a user information obtaining unit and handing over an identification result to a response generation unit, a user information obtaining unit for referring to a user information database to obtain user attribute information of a user who has transmitted a DNS query message, and a response generation unit for searching a response database for a name resolution method relevant to user attribute information handed over from the user information identification unit to conduct name resolution according to the found name resolution method, thereby enabling name resolution to be minutely customized for each attribute of a user.

Claims

1. A packet transfer device for controlling a transfer of a plurality of packets between a client and a destination, said packet transfer device comprising:

a DNS proxy unit for receiving a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to said client, said name resolution response message including an IP address corresponding to said destination and one or more packet transfer information fields, and for rewriting a routing table of said DNS proxy unit to include said IP address and said one or more packet transfer information fields,

wherein said DNS proxy unit is configured to control said transfer of the packets between said client and said destination according to said one or more packet transfer information fields,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include at least one of a packet transfer priority field, a logical network identifier, and a logical channel identifier,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include the packet transfer priority field,

wherein the packet transfer device further comprises a user information obtaining unit which obtains attribute information regarding a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from said client to said name resolution server,

wherein the attribute information is obtained based on a user information database in which attribute information for a user is registered, the attribute information comprising a log-in ID, IP address, and reference destination,

wherein said DNS proxy unit, upon receiving said name resolution request message, obtains said attribute information regarding the sender of said name resolution request message through said user information obtaining unit and transmits said name resolution request message with said attribute information added to said name resolution server, and wherein said attribute information includes at least one of a login identifier of the sender, information identifying a geographic location of the sender, information identifying a type of a sender device used by the sender in sending the name resolution request message, and information identifying a type of a network coupling the sender device to the name resolution server,

wherein the packet transfer device comprises at least a processor.

2. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

in response to said name resolution response message, said DNS proxy unit deletes said one or more packet transfer information fields from said name resolution response message before transmitting said name resolution response message to said client.

3. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising,

as an internal element, a user information database in which said attribute information is stored, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information from said user information database.

4. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said user information obtaining unit obtains said attribute information from an external database server having a user information database in which said attribute information is stored.

5. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said user information obtaining unit uses a name resolution request message in obtaining said attribute information from said external database server.

6. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said external database server is a name resolution server externally disposed.

7. The packet transfer device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a user authentication unit which identifies and authenticates a user based on the attribute information, and

a user information updating unit which updates the contents of said user information database based on attribute information regarding said user obtained at the time of authentication.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions, said computer-readable instructions configured to cause a computing device to:

perform a proxy function of receiving a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to a client, said name resolution response message including an IP address according to a destination and one or more packet transfer information fields, and rewriting a routing table to include said IP address and said one or more packet transfer information fields; and

control a transfer of a plurality of packets between said client and said destination according to said one or more packet transfer information fields,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include at least one of a packet transfer priority field, a logical network identifier, and a logical channel identifier,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include the packet transfer priority field,

wherein said computer-readable instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to obtain attribute information regarding a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from said client to said name resolution server and to transmit said name resolution request message with said attribute information added to said name resolution server,

wherein the attribute information is obtained based on a user information database in which attribute information for a user is registered, the attribute information comprising a log-in ID, IP address, and a reference destination,

wherein said attribute information includes at least one of a login identifier of the sender, information indicating a geographic location of the sender, information indicating a type of a sender device used by the sender in sending the name resolution request message, and information indicating a type of a network coupling the sender device to the name resolution server.

9. The computer-readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8, wherein said computer-readable instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to:

in response to said name resolution response message delete said one or more packet transfer information fields from said name resolution response message; and

transmit said name resolution response message to said client.

10. A packet transfer method of transferring a plurality of packets between a client and a destination, wherein the client comprises at least a processor, said method comprising:

receiving a name resolution response message transmitted from a name resolution server to said client, said name resolution response message including an IP address corresponding to said destination and one or more packet transfer information fields;

rewriting a routing table to include said IP address and said one or more packet transfer information fields; and

controlling said transfer of said packets between said client and said destination according to said IP address and said one or more packet transfer information fields,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include at least one of a packet transfer priority field, a logical network identifier, and a logical channel identifier,

wherein said one or more packet transfer information fields include the packet transfer priority field,

wherein said method further comprises;

obtaining attribute information regarding a sender of a name resolution request message transmitted from said client to said name resolution server;

wherein the attribute information is obtained based on a user information database in which attribute information for a user is registered, the attribute information comprising a log-in ID, IP address, and reference destination; and

transmitting said name resolution request message with said attribute information added to said name resolution server, and

wherein said attribute information includes at least one of a login identifier of the sender, information indicating a geographic location of the sender, information indicating a type of a sender device used by the sender in sending the name resolution request message, and information indicating a type of a network coupling the sender device to the name resolution server.